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20 Top Things to Do in Kansas

The Sunflower State blends rolling prairie, Western drama and city attractions. Top things to do include museums and a botanical garden in Wichita, the Flint Hills near Manhattan, and the Strataca salt mine in Hutchinson.

Flint Hills prairie

The country's largest tallgrass prairie dominates the east-central section of the state and includes 22 counties. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, established in 1996, is the only unit of the national park system dedicated to the rich natural and cultural history of this kind of ecosystem. Trails wind through scenic vistas, prairie grasses, wildflowers and rugged terrain. Rangers offer daily guided tours of an 1881 ranch house, as well as bus tours of the preserve, May-October. (620) 273-8494; nps.gov/tapr

Other ways to enjoy the Flint Hills' 4.5 million rolling acres: get a sweeping multimedia introduction at The Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan; slip on a Stetson and go to a rodeo; spend a couple of days at a ranch; take an afternoon trail ride; embark on a covered wagon trek; drive or pedal the 47.2-mile Flint Hills Scenic Byway; or listen to an outdoor concert. For more information: kansasflinthills.travel

Cosmosphere and Strataca

Cosmosphere's amazing collection in Hutchinson includes the Liberty Bell 7, the Apollo 13 command module Odyssey, a moon rock and a German V-2 rocket. Interactive exhibits let kids sit at the Mission Control desk and climb aboard the White Room, where astronauts enter the capsule. Shows in the Justice Planetarium complement free public astronomy viewings on selected nights. cosmo.org

Another cool tour in Hutchinson: Strataca. Descend 650 feet into an active salt mine to explore exhibits on mining, take a train ride through part of the mine, and see a collection of Hollywood costumes and props, kept here for its safe location and environmental stability.underkansas.org

Botanica, The Wichita Gardens

More than two dozen themed gardens spread over 9 acres at Botanica, showcasing 3,600 species of plants. Sculptures, fountains, waterfalls and streams dot the grounds. Among the areas to explore: the Butterfly Garden, Woodland Walk, Garden on the Rocks, Sally Stone Sensory Garden and the Jayne Milburn Aquatic Collection. (316) 264-0448; botanica.org

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

Exhibits at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka explore the context and legacy of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to end segregation. You can easily spend an hour or more strolling the building, which once served as Monroe Elementary School, one of the four former African-American elementary schools in Topeka. (785) 354-4273; nps.gov/brvb

Wichita's cowboy heritage

Before the aviation industry took off in the south-central Kansas community of Wichita, cattle reigned. The Old Cowtown Museum captures the rowdy mood of Wichita's early days, when more than 1 million longhorns were herded to Chisholm Trail railheads. Located in downtown's museum complex (on the Old Chisholm Trail), Old Cowtown re-creates an 1880s town. For the most interesting visit, come during special activities such as old-time baseball games, shoot-outs and chuck wagon dinners. (316) 219-1871; oldcowtown.org

Great Bend wildlife refuges

The wild side of Kansas is home to two of North America's most crucial wetlands, both near the Arkansas River town of Great Bend (population: 15,000). Each spring, nearly 25 percent of North American shorebirds migrating east of the Rockies stop over at the Cheyenne Bottoms State Wildlife Area, (620) 793- 3066; ksoutdoors.com, and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (pictured) (620) 486-2393; fws.gov

Trails, causeways and backroads provide opportunities to view pelicans, pintails, herons and gulls. Both areas have driving tours with brochures available at the entrances. The 77-mile Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway connects these two important preserves. fhwa.dot.gov

Lawrence's eclectic vibe

Just west of Kansas City, the college town of Lawrence is known for arts and culture; sports (Jayhawk basketball!); and a lively, eclectic downtown, with restaurants, coffee shops and a historic hotel. unmistakablylawrence.com

A raid led by the infamous William Quantrill destroyed much of Lawrence during the Civil War, but you'll see a few surviving Victorian homes in Old West Lawrence.

Among the attractions here: the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, with displays that include Comanche, the stuffed remains of the horse believed to be the only survivor from Lt. Col. George Custer's Seventh Calvary detachment at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, (785) 864-4450; naturalhistory.ku.edu; and the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, on the KU west campus, where exhibits chronicle the life of this Kansas native and KU grad. Pictured at left. (785) 864-4900; doleinstitute.org

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

Abilene (population: 6,700) was once a cow town at the end of the Chisholm Trail (a cattle trail from Texas). Most people know it now as President Dwight D. Eisenhower's hometown. Five buildings make up the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, including his boyhood home, museum, visitors center (a 23-minute film gives an intro to the site), library and Place of Meditation gravesite. (785) 263-6700; eisenhower.archives.gov

Boot Hill Museum and Front Street

Once known as the wildest town in the West, Dodge City (population: 28,000) connects legend and lore at museums and rodeos. Stop at Boot Hill Museum and Front Street for a drink in the Long Branch Saloon, gunfights by the boardwalk, a walk through the Boot Hill cemetery, nightly variety shows, and exhibits on cowboys, gunslingers and lawmen. (620) 227-8188; boothill.org

If you're in town in late July and early August, the annual Dodge City Days has more than 50 events, including a rodeo, barbecue contest and Western parade. (620) 227-3119; dodgecitydays.com

Fort Scott's frontier roots

Kansas' frontier history spirals around Fort Scott, where today, Fort Scott National Historic Site preserves 20 buildings. (Look for 170-year-old ax marks on the beams.) Try to time your visit for a special event, so you can chat with reenactors. (620) 223-0310; nps.gov/fosc

The nearby National Cemetery is one of a handful of national cemeteries designated by President Abraham Lincoln. (800) 245-3678; fortscott.com

Narrated trolley tours give visitors an introduction to local landmarks.

Fort Scott (population: 8,000) sits along the Frontier Military Scenic Byway, which traces Civil War history along US-69 as it winds south from Kansas City along the Kansas-Missouri border to Oklahoma. travelks.com

Wichita museums

With its past as an Old West cow town and a launchpad for the aviation industry, Wichita—Kansas' largest city (metro population: 357,000)--strikes an interesting historical balance, reflected in the city's mix of museums.

Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman were among the adventurers who launched the city's aircraft industry in the early 1900s. Visitors can learn more about the area's high-flying heritage at the Kansas Aviation Museum, the former terminal of the Wichita Municipal Airport, built in the Art Deco style of the 1930s. Pictured at left. (316) 683-9242; kansasaviationmuseum.org

The Old Cowtown Museum (slide 6) captures the rowdy mood of Wichita's early days, while the Mid-America All-Indian Center showcases Native American heritage. (316) 350-3340; theindiancenter.org

At the Wichita Art Museum, glasswork - both historic and contemporary - makes up a big part of the collection. (316) 268-4921; wichitaartmuseum.org

Exploration Place lets visitors try their skills in two flight simulators and explore other hands-on exhibits. (316) 660-0600; exploration.org

Ivan, said to be one of the world's most complete T. rex skeletons, is among the artifacts on display at Museum of World Treasures. (316) 263-1311; worldtreasures.org

McPherson Opera House

Take a guided tour to learn how a spectacular renovation brought this crumbling palace back to life, 121 years after the McPherson Opera House opened in 1889. If you can, catch one of the shows; $3 from each ticket goes toward ongoing preservation of the hall. McPherson (population: 13,300) is in central Kansas. (620) 241-1952; mcphersonoperahouse.org

Oz Museum

Once a stop on the Oregon Trail, the town of Wamego (population: 4,400) in northeast Kansas is known for its Oz Museum, one of the world's largest privately owned collections of Oz memorabilia from the classic 1939 movie. ozmuseum.com

Also worth a stop: The Columbian Theatre Museum and Art Center, a renovated 1800s opera house, columbiantheatre.com, and Oz Winery, which sells award-winning wines with fitting names: Run Toto Run and Witch in a Ditch. ozwinerykansas.com

Kansas State Capitol

Construction began on this copper-domed Topeka building in 1866 and took 37 years to complete. Today you can take free historic tours or dome tours (296 steps to the top—no elevator). The Kansas State Capitol is famous for its giant murals depicting events in Kansas history and includes a controversial unfinished set of paintings by John Steuart Curry. (785) 296-3966; kshs.org

Kansas City sports

The Missouri and Kansas rivers meet at Kansas City (population: 150,000), home to the Kansas Speedway and Kansas City T-Bones. NASCAR visits the speedway in summer and fall; track tours are available by reservation throughout the year. (866) 460-7223; kansasspeedway.com

Rolling Hills Zoo

See two destinations in one location just west of Salina (population: 49,500): a zoo and a wildlife museum with cool animatronics. Tram rides at Rolling Hills Wildlife Zoo take visitors through the 65-acre preserve, with more than 100 species. A museum features hundreds of mounted animals in native settings and animatronic human robots. rollinghillszoo.org

Cheney State Park

Cheney Reservoir (35 miles west of Wichita) serves three summertime essentials—water, sand and sunshine. Hidden swimming coves punctuate the shoreline at Cheney State Park, and strong winds make for one of Kansas' most striking (and surprising) sights: sailboats zipping across bright blue water...under the bright blue dome of the prairie sky. ksoutdoors.com